11 October 2011

A Windy Weekend for the Queen's Sailing Team

Queen’s Open and the Carry Price

By Zoe Lewis

Big North East breeze in Kingston.

The Queen’s Sailing Team was faced with heavy winds both at home and in Michigan. Nine teams participated in the Annual Queen’s Open, which ran this weekend at the Kingston Yacht Club. Racing was postponed Saturday morning due to heavy North East winds averaging 20-25 knots and gusting into the 30’s.

At 2:00pm there was a break in the wind and the “A” fleet was sent out to race. Unfortunately the lull did not last and the race committee was only able to get one race before the wind picked up again. Racing was then postponed for the day.

On Sunday the competitors were greeted with even stronger winds, forecast to build to 40 knots. At 10:00 am the racing was cancelled. Although there was not much racing to be done at the Queen’s open, we were able to exhibit the heavy wind conditions that Kingston is known for.

A second Queen’s team was sent to the Carry Price Regatta in Grosse Point Michigan where, there too, heavy winds prevailed. Saturday the A fleet began their first race in beautiful 18-20 knot winds. Sailors Mac Morrin and Graham Hutchings were able to snag a first. The wind continued to build to a steady 25 knots, and the race committee ended sailing for the day due to the heavy wind conditions.

Sunday began with a steady 8 knots and built to a breezy 18. The races were run in a small inlet so the team could not take advantage of the steady breeze and surfing waves. Mac and Graham achieved a first and a couple of fourths and fifths and sailors Zoe Lewis and Oliver Blake had a couple fifths and sixths. The venue provided great wind but the location which the RC chose to run races did not provide steady breeze, the inlet caused very shift, inconsistent and gusty wind.

Overall the Queen’s Sailing team was faced with some extreme conditions and we can proudly say that our sailors handled the winds with true sportsmanship, whether it was getting a couple firsts or cancelling races in order to keep competitors safe.